Slow & Steady Overland Build

[clweed]

BTW, I got my BAK X4 installed and am very pleased with it. I thank Gil and Steven for bringing the new design to my attention before I received it. Without a head's up, if I had opened the box and just then discovered that it wouldn't flush as on other trucks, I probably would have sent it right back without further consideration. But knowing ahead of time what to expect and coming to understand the potential value of the built-in tracks, I kept an open mind, installed it and am glad I did. I drove in a rare rainstorm (here in AZ) the very next day and had not one drop of water in the bed.

One potential problem of big concern with putting any cover on this Jeep is the lack of "headroom" due to the bed being so shallow. The rails lift the whole cover ~ 1/2 inch and while that is not a huge amount, it is just enough that my particular cooler just barely fits! I'm not sure any other tonneau would have solved that.

I do think that BAK needs to get their act together and at least present a picture of the new design for their re-sellers and their own website. They should also mention the T-Slots, but even better, list what accessories are compatible.

I plan to post a more detailed review with photos on the tonneau cover thread. I know there were a few others interested and perhaps holding out for one of these Revolvers.

Bottom line, it is a nice looking, innovative cover that works well.

I spoke to BAK yesterday and they are working to identify which racks will work, I was told to check back in a week or two

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[jimbom]

I believe you'd need the Tonneau cover kit which has feet to address the lip on the outpost HD. Are you planning on putting a rack on? Just curious what your longterm plans are. I live in AZ as well and spent alot of time looking at a Bak or TruXedo Sentry/Armis covers but now I'm leaning back towards a rack with no cover. The way you set yours up I believe you could to that Outpost HD and your cover, pretty cool if that's a direction youre going.

You're probably directing that to Gil.

I had been tinkering with a very simple clamp-on bike rack I've had for a long time. I figured whenever I'd put it on, I'd have to leave the cover open. The tracks on the X4 have changed my thinking and may address another problem I face. I'm used to having the larger bed of my previous Ram to carry all my camping equipment (while leaving room to bring large game home.) With the Jeep, I'd have to scale back all the crap I take with me (but that's really not a bad idea, anyway.) I just started considering a rack system utilizing those tracks, but the idea is growing on me fast.

Thanks for pointing out those adapters for the Outpost. Looks like they'll take care of the issue.

 

[clweed]

The Truxedo is the only rack that I have found that will work with the Bak rollover x4
https://realtruck.com/p/elevate-rack-system/

 

[mcolbyb]

The Truxedo is the only rack that I have found that will work with the Bak rollover x4
https://realtruck.com/p/elevate-rack-system/

I'm still not convinced that the Truxedo t-slot system wouldn't allow for the Yakima Tonneau adaptor to work. I'd love to see someone try and save me the work haha.

 

[jimbom]

I'm still not convinced that the Truxedo t-slot system wouldn't allow for the Yakima Tonneau adaptor to work. I'd love to see someone try and save me the work haha.

Since Lee reported that BAK is looking into it, I'll hold out awhile to see if they come through. It's really in their best interest to do this sooner rather than later.

 

[clweed]

I bought the BAK Revolver X4 on eBay. eBay now informs sellers when interested buyers are watching and gives them an opportunity to send a coupon to get them to buy. That happened to me and I got an offer from the seller to reduce the price to $900 shipped after the item sat on my watch list for a few days. Not a bad price, in my opinion.

Installation was straightforward. First step is to apply a provided seal that extends along a top surface of the bulkhead which engages the front edge of the tonneau once installed. There are two rails that are each attached to respective sides of the bed with four bolts: two in the back using the OEM tonneau latch attachment points (1st pic) and two in the front bulkhead corner (2nd pic). Downward pressure should be applied while tightening the bolts to engage the rubber seals against the side of the bed.

Below is the front driver side corner of the bed (obviously, the passenger side is the mirror opposite). I added a piece of excess seal to fill a curious gap between the frame and the top of the front bulkhead seal. In the foreground, you see the bracket to which the tonneau is ultimately fastened later in the install.

In the pic below, the oddly angled lever is spring-loaded and part of the latching mechanism.

Once the rails are installed, you place the rolled up cover toward the rearmost end of the bed and rollout forward so that outwardly extending bolts from the bottom of the front end of the tonneau extend through the aforementioned brackets on the earlier attached side rails. Now at this point, the tonneau is covering the bed, so you then have to roll the rear end of the cover forward to allow you to thread nuts and thereby cinch down each of the outwardly extending bolts from the cover to the brackets. Below, you can see the bolts holding the cover down; note the rearward bolt is used to attach the tether for securing and keeping the tonneau rolled-up.

Then, you roll out again to test fit with the side rails and the latching mechanism. I didn’t take pictures of these steps, but hopefully the description is clear.

I always think I’m smarter than the directions and as a result skipped installing the black spacers shown below which positions the rails more inwardly toward the bed center to ensure full engagement of the latching mechanism. Without these little gems, the latch only engages one side or not fully to both sides - either way, these spacers are not optional. I had to unbolt the rails and insert the spacers - an avoidable PIA.

Below shows the rear seal that engages the top of the tailgate. When latching the tonneau down. The seal compresses and seals against the tailgate.

Generally, since the rails are affixed to hard points on the body, so long as the rearmost edge of the tonneau lines up with the rearmost edge of the rails, then the tailgate will likely properly seal against the rear seal on the tonneau cover.

The instructions recommend using a heat gun or baking under the sun to smooth out the wrinkles in the rubber.

Finally, once everything is properly lined up and tightened down, the last step is to attach the rubber pads that prevent the aluminum underside of the tonneau from smashing the rear window, as shown below.

And, there it is.....took about 30 minutes to install and that includes fixing my mistake of not initially installing the spacers.

Did you have to tap the front lower bolt with the sprayed liner?

 

[clweed]

Since Lee reported that BAK is looking into it, I'll hold out awhile to see if they come through. It's really in their best interest to do this sooner rather than later.

This is confirmation that the Yakima rack will not work with the Revolver , you could move it and drill new holes but it would stick out to far

View attachment 73334

View attachment 73335

 

[jimbom]

Did you have to tap the front lower bolt with the sprayed liner?

A tap would make the job easier, but I got the big bolts in without one. The bedliner stuff seemed to settle mostly at the bottom of the holes, so I used a box cutter to carefully scrape that area just enough to get the first couple threads engaged. Then I worked the bolt in and out, a half turn deeper each time and that cut out the rest of the material.

BTW, the instructions don't mention this but that large screw takes a T50 torx bit. That is the same size as the door hinge bolts and is in the wrench kit that comes with the Jeep.

 

[sage9984]

Awesome build.

Did you regear or still running stock. Didn't see it on the first page unless I missed it. Also, where did you get the Rubicon hood from?

 

[mzeblue]

Awesome build.

Did you regear or still running stock. Didn't see it on the first page unless I missed it. Also, where did you get the Rubicon hood from?

Sorry for my delay! I did not regear. So far, so good on the original 3.73 gear set, then again I‘m not rock climbing. For normal driving, even at highway speeds, it has been great - if you didn’t remind me, I would forget that I am still on the original gears.

The hood is a DV8 Rubicon style hood. I got it from a seller on eBay.

 

[sage9984]

Sorry for my delay! I did not regear. So far, so good on the original 3.73 gear set, then again I‘m not rock climbing. For normal driving, even at highway speeds, it has been great - if you didn’t remind me, I would forget that I am still on the original gears.

The hood is a DV8 Rubicon style hood. I got it from a seller on eBay.

I wonder if the same can be said with a 6spd. That's what I have. I also don't plan on doing any rock climbing.

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